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Prepared workplaces respond better

Workplace Defense

Practical preparation for offices, tenant spaces, managed properties, and the people and organizations responsible for keeping them functioning safely.

Workplace Defense & Preparedness Program

A workplace is a connected environment

Workplace safety is shaped by more than the actions of individual employees. Policies, reporting practices, physical conditions, access, communications, leadership decisions, tenant responsibilities, and outside service providers all affect how well an organization recognizes and manages a developing problem. CDS helps clients examine those connections and identify where clearer planning, instruction, or coordination may be needed.

Security policies, cameras, access systems, equipment, and even security officers can create a false sense of security when the people responsible have not been trained to operate the site, carry out their duties, or use the available equipment correctly. General entry training alone is rarely enough. Site-specific instruction, a working knowledge of policies and post or general orders, supervised on-the-job training, exercises, and meaningful evaluation are what turn written expectations into practical capability.

The client may be a property-management company responsible for a building, an organizational tenant responsible for its people and leased space, or an individual employee who wants to understand workplace readiness more clearly. CDS adapts the scope to the client’s actual authority and responsibilities rather than treating every workplace as though one person controls the entire environment.

Workplace readiness must also include life-safety responsibilities. Fire-warden programs, evacuation, shelter-in-place planning, emergency communications, accountability, active-threat policies and procedures, and coordination with medical resources should support one another. CDS addresses these connections at an appropriate planning level. Detailed active-threat instruction is reserved for the Training section, while detailed medical instruction remains within Medical Training.

Business Environments

Office & Tenant Spaces

Programs shaped around employees, visitors, shared buildings, access responsibilities, tenant operations, and the policies governing the workplace.

Individual Readiness

Employee Education

Practical education for employees who want to recognize concerns, understand established plans, communicate appropriately, and make sound decisions within their responsibilities.

Program Foundation

Policies, Procedures & Roles

Reviewing whether responsibilities, reporting pathways, communications, authority, active-threat preparation, and employee or volunteer expectations are clearly established and understood.

Facility Review

Security Assessments

Internal and external reviews that consider assigned responsibilities, the physical environment, daily operations, access, visibility, routines, and how people interact with security policies—without publishing sensitive findings.

Life Safety

Fire Warden & Shelter-in-Place

Developing coordinated programs for evacuation, sheltering, communications, accountability, and leadership during fires, hazardous conditions, severe weather, and other disruptions.

Shared Responsibility

Property & Vendor Coordination

Strengthening coordination among property managers, tenants, security personnel, cleaning teams, building maintenance, grounds staff, and other service providers who may observe or affect workplace conditions.

Operational Capability

Security Personnel Training & OJT

Examining whether entry training, site-specific instruction, post or general orders, equipment training, supervised on-the-job development, and performance evaluation prepare personnel for their actual duties.

Critical Incidents

Active Threats & Active Shooters

Helping organizations establish responsible policies, reporting and communication procedures, approved protective actions, accountability, responder coordination, and exercises appropriate to the workplace. CDS offers a 90-, 120-, or 150-minute Active Threat Preparedness Seminar for awareness and planning, while AVIRT remains a separate activity-based training program.

Choose the check that fits your role

Workplace Readiness Checks

Each private ten-question check focuses on one part of workplace readiness. Answers remain on your device and should not include access codes, alarm information, precise procedures, current threats, or other sensitive details.

Private self-assessmentOffice & Tenant Space ReadinessOpen check

Consider how building management, tenant responsibilities, shared areas, and daily operations work together without entering confidential facility information.

Answers stay on this device

Are the emergency and security responsibilities of property management and each tenant clearly understood?

Answer question 1

Are employees given clear guidance for visitors, deliveries, and shared building areas?

Answer question 2

Do occupants know how to report a facility, safety, or security concern?

Answer question 3

Are common areas included in planning rather than treated as someone else’s responsibility?

Answer question 4

Can tenants and property management contact one another promptly during an emergency?

Answer question 5

Do occupants understand the building’s approved evacuation and shelter-in-place expectations?

Answer question 6

Are changes in occupancy, layout, hours, or building use considered when plans are reviewed?

Answer question 7

Do plans account for people who may require assistance?

Answer question 8

Are life-safety and emergency systems checked through the responsible party?

Answer question 9

Would better coordination between the tenant and property manager improve readiness?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentSecurity Policies & ProceduresOpen check

Consider whether policies establish practical responsibilities and whether the people expected to follow them understand what they mean.

Answers stay on this device

Does the organization maintain current written emergency, security, workplace-violence, and active-threat policies?

Answer question 1

Do those policies reflect how the workplace actually operates today?

Answer question 2

Are leadership, supervisor, employee, and contractor responsibilities clearly assigned?

Answer question 3

Is there a clear process for reporting safety, security, or behavioral concerns?

Answer question 4

Do employees understand the limits of their authority during an incident?

Answer question 5

Do policies address visitors, vendors, deliveries, and after-hours activity?

Answer question 6

Are emergency communication and accountability responsibilities documented?

Answer question 7

Do policies distinguish evacuation, shelter-in-place, and other approved protective actions?

Answer question 8

Have affected employees received instruction on the policies that apply to them?

Answer question 9

Are policies reviewed after organizational changes, exercises, or significant incidents?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentBuilding Security AssessmentOpen check

This check considers whether the organization reviews its environment and follows through on findings. Do not enter access, alarm, or vulnerability details.

Answers stay on this device

Has the organization reviewed both interior operations and exterior facility conditions?

Answer question 1

Are entrances, exits, reception areas, and other transition points included in reviews?

Answer question 2

Are lighting, visibility, signage, and general upkeep considered?

Answer question 3

Are public, shared, and restricted areas clearly understood by responsible personnel?

Answer question 4

Are parking areas, walkways, loading areas, and grounds included where applicable?

Answer question 5

Do reviews consider normal operations as well as nights, weekends, and special events?

Answer question 6

Are changes in tenants, staffing, construction, or nearby conditions considered?

Answer question 7

Are identified concerns assigned to someone for review or corrective action?

Answer question 8

Is completion of corrective work documented and verified?

Answer question 9

Has a qualified professional provided an independent perspective when appropriate?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentFire, Evacuation & Shelter-in-PlaceOpen check

Consider whether fire-warden, evacuation, shelter-in-place, communication, accountability, and basic medical responsibilities operate as one coordinated program.

Answers stay on this device

Are fire wardens or other emergency coordinators formally assigned where needed?

Answer question 1

Are alternates identified when primary personnel are absent?

Answer question 2

Do occupants know how to report a fire or other urgent condition?

Answer question 3

Are evacuation responsibilities explained and practiced appropriately?

Answer question 4

Are shelter-in-place expectations defined for conditions when evacuation may be unsafe?

Answer question 5

Is there a practical method for accounting for employees, visitors, and contractors?

Answer question 6

Do plans account for people who may need additional assistance?

Answer question 7

Are exercises or discussions conducted often enough to keep responsibilities familiar?

Answer question 8

Are first-aid resources, AED access, and trained personnel considered in the plan?

Answer question 9

Are procedures coordinated with property management and public responders where appropriate?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentMedical & Emergency EquipmentOpen check

Consider whether the building and tenant spaces have appropriate policies, equipment, access, maintenance, and trained personnel. This check asks what is in place—not how to perform medical procedures.

Answers stay on this device

Is there a current written policy for reporting a medical emergency and requesting professional help?

Answer question 1

Are the medical-emergency responsibilities of property management, tenants, security personnel, and employees clearly understood?

Answer question 2

Do employees know how to report an emergency and accurately identify their building or work location?

Answer question 3

Are appropriate first-aid supplies available, clearly identified, accessible, and protected from unauthorized use where necessary?

Answer question 4

When an AED is provided, is its location clearly marked and known to the people expected to respond?

Answer question 5

Are bleeding-control supplies or other specialized emergency resources considered according to the workplace’s needs and risks?

Answer question 6

Are first-aid kits, AEDs, and other emergency equipment inspected, maintained, replenished, and replaced on a documented schedule?

Answer question 7

Have designated personnel received current training for the medical or emergency equipment they may be expected to use?

Answer question 8

Do emergency plans consider access and coordination for EMS, fire-rescue, and other professional responders?

Answer question 9

Are medical policies, equipment needs, trained-person coverage, and lessons from exercises reviewed periodically?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentVendor & Property-Service CoordinationOpen check

Cleaning, security, maintenance, grounds, delivery, and other service personnel may observe or affect workplace conditions. Consider whether coordination is clear.

Answers stay on this device

Does the organization maintain current contacts for regular service providers?

Answer question 1

Are vendor authorization and check-in expectations clearly established?

Answer question 2

Is each provider’s access limited to what its work reasonably requires?

Answer question 3

Do vendor personnel know how to report a safety, maintenance, or security concern?

Answer question 4

Are after-hours services coordinated with the responsible tenant or property representative?

Answer question 5

Are keys, access cards, badges, or other credentials managed by the responsible party?

Answer question 6

Is there a process for promptly removing access when personnel or contracts change?

Answer question 7

Do tenants, property managers, and service providers know who to contact during an emergency?

Answer question 8

Are vendors told not to confront concerning individuals or situations outside their role?

Answer question 9

Are vendor-related procedures reviewed when operations or contracts change?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentEmployee Workplace ReadinessOpen check

You do not need to manage the building to become better prepared. Consider whether you understand the responsibilities and resources that apply to you.

Answers stay on this device

Do you know how to report a safety, security, or behavioral concern?

Answer question 1

Do you know whom to contact when your supervisor or normal contact is unavailable?

Answer question 2

Do you understand the evacuation expectations for your workplace?

Answer question 3

Do you understand when sheltering in place may be directed?

Answer question 4

Do you know how your organization communicates urgent information?

Answer question 5

Do you understand your responsibilities toward visitors or contractors you receive?

Answer question 6

Can you recognize a developing concern without placing yourself in unnecessary danger?

Answer question 7

Do you know how to request assistance if an emergency plan does not account for your needs?

Answer question 8

Do you know where approved first-aid or AED resources are located when that information is provided?

Answer question 9

Have you participated in workplace preparedness instruction or an exercise within the past year?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Private self-assessmentActive Shooter ReadinessOpen check

Consider whether policies, training, communications, exercises, and responder coordination support responsible action. Do not disclose procedures, vulnerabilities, response locations, or current threats.

Answers stay on this device

Does the organization maintain a current active-threat or active-shooter policy appropriate to its workplace?

Answer question 1

Does the policy clearly establish how employees should report warning signs or an immediate threat?

Answer question 2

Do employees understand how urgent warnings and official instructions will be communicated?

Answer question 3

Are leadership, security, supervisor, tenant, and employee responsibilities defined within their authority?

Answer question 4

Do plans account for visitors, contractors, shared spaces, public-facing areas, and people who may need assistance?

Answer question 5

Are approved protective actions explained through qualified, site-appropriate instruction?

Answer question 6

Have security personnel received site-specific training, supervised OJT, and instruction on applicable post or general orders?

Answer question 7

Are emergency communications, accountability, medical response, and responder coordination addressed together?

Answer question 8

Have leaders and responsible personnel participated in a tabletop exercise or other appropriate evaluation?

Answer question 9

Are policies and training revised when exercises, incidents, operational changes, or professional review identify a need?

Answer question 10

This reflection is not a professional security assessment and does not guarantee safety. It is designed to identify topics worth discussing with a qualified instructor.

Official workplace planning tools

Free Workplace Preparedness Handouts

These OSHA and CISA publications support responsible workplace planning and discussion. They do not replace a site-specific assessment, applicable legal requirements, professional instruction, or coordination with emergency responders. Do not place access details, alarm information, security weaknesses, or response procedures in publicly shared worksheets.

U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA

Workplace Emergencies & Evacuations

A practical guide to emergency action plans, reporting, evacuation, assigned responsibilities, training, and plan review.

Open official PDF

U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA

Workplace First-Aid Program

Foundational guidance for assessing workplace first-aid needs, selecting providers and supplies, and connecting the program with emergency medical services.

Open official PDF

U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA

Protecting Security Personnel

Guidance for employers and security organizations considering emergency roles, coordination, training, protective equipment, and the limits of assigned duties.

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CISA

Active Shooter Preparedness Action Guide

A current framework for organizations reviewing prevention, protection, response, recovery, training, and exercise considerations.

Open official PDF